Florida Rules for New Medical Marijuana Patients

The medical use of medical marijuana does NOT include the following:

The possession, use or administration of medical marijuana by smoking.

The transfer of medical marijuana to a person other than the qualified patient for whom it was ordered or their legal representative.

The use or administration of medical marijuana on any form of public transportation, in any public place, in a qualified patient's place of employment, if restricted by his or her employer, in a state correctional institution, on the grounds of a preschool, primary school, or secondary school or any school bus or vehicle.

The medical use of medical marijuana does NOT include the following as stated in Section 381.986(1)(j), F.S.:

Possession, use, or administration of marijuana that was not purchased or acquired from a medical marijuana treatment center.

Possession, use, or administration of marijuana in a form for smoking, in the form of commercially produced food items other than edibles, or of marijuana seeds or flower, except for flower in a sealed, tamper-proof receptacle for vaping.

Use or administration of any form or amount of marijuana in a manner that is inconsistent with the qualified physician’s directions or physician certification.

Transfer of marijuana to a person other than the qualified patient for whom it was authorized or the qualified patient’s caregiver on behalf of the qualified patient.

Use or administration of marijuana in the following locations:

a. On any form of public transportation, except for low-THC cannabis.

b. In any public place, except for low-THC cannabis.

c. In a qualified patient’s place of employment, except when permitted by his or her employer.

d. In a state correctional institution, as defined in s. 944.02, or a correctional institution, as defined in s. 944.241.

e. On the grounds of a preschool, primary school, or secondary school, except as provided in s. 1006.062.

f. In a school bus, a vehicle, an aircraft, or a motorboat, except for low-THC cannabis

Florida Dosing of Medical Marijuana

Your recommendation (prescription) is sent to your Florida Department of Health Profile which can be accessed by any of the Florida dispensaries when you provide them with your p-number. On our home page click on registry login to get to yourFlorida Department of Health Registry Profile. When you login you can see if your recommendation has been added. Also you can see when it expires, or how much is left in your recommendation.

Click for the list of dispensaries to fill your recommendation. Keep in mind that the dispensaries will deliver to you.

The recommendation (prescription) is a general recommendation and it is written for you to get a max dose which does not mean you should necessarily follow that. Instead you can partially fill your prescription and start with 10 mg two to three times a day and slowly increase based on your tolerance. The order is written as 30 mg 6 times a day with both routes however it is your responsibility to start low and go slow.

Also you don't have to buy the entire prescription, however if you leave any of the recommendation (prescription) unpurchased, it will expire on the expiration date which is typically 45 days or 70 days. It is suggested you to talk to the pharmacist in the dispensary who will guide you the regarding effects ie a hybrid, Cbd, indica, or sativa.

Marijuana effects vary widely. Generally, the older you are, the more sensitive you are. Also, you may have an opposite effect than what is typical. For instance Indica is typically night time medicine, however some people have the opposite effect and find themselves alert. Just as some people are put to sleep by Benadryl, and others find themselves in a state of alertness.

It will take time to find the best intake method and dosing for yourself depending on your condition. The number of cannabinoid receptors you have, and how sensitive they are also varies from patient to patient. Remember, the general guideline is to start low, and go slow.

HYBRID is a combination of Sativa and Indica. Most all marijuana is a hybrid, however if the strain is indica dominant it will be labeled indica. If a strain is sativa dominant, it will be labeled Sativa.

CANNABIDIOL aka CBD

CBD is another name for Cannabidiol which is a compound found in the Marijuana plant.

CBD is a key ingredient in cannabis (marijuana), and is one of the most studied compounds found in marijuana.

CBD is one of over 100 compounds found in cannabis that belong to a class of molecules called cannabinoids. Of these compounds, CBD and THC are usually present in the highest concentrations, and are therefore the most recognized and studied.

CBD and THC levels tend to vary among different plants. Marijuana grown for recreational purposes often contains more THC than CBD.

However, by using selective breeding techniques, cannabis breeders have managed to create varieties with high levels of CBD and next to zero levels of THC. These strains are rare but have become more popular in recent years, and are especially effective in treating severe seizure disorders in children.

TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL aka THC

Most people know of THC because of its ability to induce euphoria, or a high. Interesting enough, THC does not always have this effect on its own.

That’s because THC is mostly present in the cannabis plant as THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), its acidic precursor. THCA is not psychoactive, which is why ingesting cannabis raw (such as in juicing cannabis fresh from the garden) is unpopular among recreational users. On the other hand, medical users commonly take raw preparations, since THCA possesses some of the same therapeutic benefits as THC.

THCA is typically converted to THC when exposed to heat, through a reaction known as decarboxylation. However, when plants are stored, small amounts of the acid may be converted to THC over time.

THC VS. CBD

Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the two main ingredients in the marijuana plant. Both CBD and THC belong to a unique class of compounds known as cannabinoids.

While many strains of marijuana are known for having abundant levels of THC, high-CBD strains are less common. CBD allows you to medicate without the feeling of a “head high” while high THC products do give you the “high” feeling.